Taste of Peaches
by Kandomaru
Summary: Naruto is always barging into the Hokage's office, asking for missions. This time, he's teamed up with Ino. Oneshot. NaruIno.


**Taste of Peaches**

By: Kandomaru

Disclaimer: The characters used in this story do not belong to me.

Peaches. I've never eaten one in my whole life, but I know what it tastes like. It has a sort of tangy taste to it, yet it's very sweet and moist. Actually, it's too sweet. Almost addictive.

I woke up early that morning. I always do. A quick shower later, I was out the door and headed for the Godaime's office to ask- no, demand that I be given a mission. Sitting around loitering might have been Shikamaru's idea of a perfect day, but it wasn't mine.

I passed by the village fairly quickly. Nobody said hi to me. They never did. The only people that even bothered to acknowledge me were the people I knew personally. I frowned, silently telling myself that would all change once I finally became Hokage.

I passed by the front doors, receiving some nods from the ninja out front. I liked them. They knew when to do their jobs, and when to save themselves the headache and just let me pass. Both of them knew I'd get inside one way or another, so better to be this way.

Plus, they acknowledged me. Most of my fellow ninja did. Probably because I'm awesome.

Coming upon the, as always, closed door where the Hokage's office was located, I barged right in and yelled, "Granny-Tsunade! I want a mission!" Once my loud entry, not to be confused with the ever popular dynamic entry, was done, I took a good look at the room.

Granny-Tsunade was on her chair behind her desk, with her head resting on her hands. She glared at me intensely, and I noticed that the vein on the side of her forehead was twice as big today as usual. Well... I wouldn't be adding to her stress if she'd just keep me busy, you know?

Shizune was off to the side, at Tsunade's side. She giggled slightly. Tsunade was a pretty decent teacher, a good leader, great doctor, and the stuff of men's fantasies. She was also a slaver, if you were her apprentice. Shizune probably enjoyed to watch me tick the Godaime off.

I noticed that, aside from the two people I expected to find there, there was also a third one in the room. A young girl with hair even brighter and blonder than mine and eyes so blue the sky appeared black in comparison. Ino Yamanaka.

"What the hell are you doing here, Naruto?" She snapped, placing her hands on her hips the way women seem to always do no matter the occasion. Probably because it shows off their figure. "Can't you see we're busy here?"

Ino is also loud. Annoyingly so. I don't envy Shikamaru being in the same team as her.

"Did you not hear me?" She repeated. "I asked you what the hell you're doing here!"

Did I mention she's loud?

"Naruto," the fifty year old blonde began, sighing slightly, "You'll do a mission when you get a mission. Until then, don't just barge in here."

"I'm bored!" I yell, going right up to her desk. "There's nothing to do and I'm bored!" She gives me the same glare she gave me when I came in, but more hotly. I returned her glare with one of my own. It's impossible to intimidate me. I'm too stubborn to feel fear. "Give me a mission."

Her response is quick and to the point, "No." Her eyes narrow slightly, as do mine. We're in a battle of wills, to see which one of us will waver first. I dare not blink, lest that be seen as a sign of weakness. My resolve wavers slightly as my eyes start to strain, but I keep at it.

Then, my concentration is broken as someone yanks on the collar of my orange and black coat, catching me offguard. I trip on my feet and fall back, landing on something soft and squishy. I shake off the cobwebs and try and place my hand on the floor, accidentally placing it somewhere far more dangerous.

"Huh?" I looked down, seeing Ino below me. It seemed like she had been the one to pull me away from my staring contest with the Hokage. It also seemed like she was what broke my fall and- yes, my hand was indeed on her chest, getting a handful of Ino-boobie.

I immediately bolt upright, waving my hands frantically before me and babbling apologies as fast as my mouth can move. Which is pretty fast. I'm not the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja for nothing.

Not that I'm proud of that title. Not when it makes me look bad, anyway.

Ino punches me. Hard. I'm not surprised. As far as women are concerned, accidental gropage can only be answered with an immediate, hard as possible punch to the face. "Pervert!" She yelled when she punched me.

I land on the floor unceremoniously, feeling a slight bruise already forming on my cheek. Being punched by a girl hurts more than being stabbed. I've experienced both of these things and I can safely make that remark with full certainty.

Don't believe me? Check for yourself.

"It's your fault for pulling on me like that!" I yelled back at Ino as I sat up, absently rubbing my cheek. I stood up, giving my fellow blonde a sour look. She stuck her tongue out at me, then turned around with a huff. We're both fifteen, yet we act like we're still eight. Must be the hair...

Unnoticed by either one of us, Tsunade got an evil glint in her eye. If I had seen it, I might have second-guessed my apprehension over not doing anything. Since I didn't, I jumped for joy when she said, "... Fine. I'll give you a mission, Naruto."

"Thanks, Granny-Tsunade!" I jumped over the desk, giving my favorite old lady a big hug. Shizune laughed loudly as I asked, "What's the mission? Huh? Am I gonna have to infiltrate a top secret enemy stronghold and steal some super-secret plans guarded by S-rank Ninja?"

Motioning toward Ino, the Godaime replied, "You're going to accompany Ino and serve as backup in her mission."

Ino and me looked at each other for a full second before we turned toward the Hokage and yelled at the same time, "Me? On the same team as him/her? No way!" We glared at each other, imaginary sparks shooting off in the air between us.

"That's the only mission you're going to be getting, Naruto. Take it or leave it." Tsunade smiled wolfishly, knowing she'd won. I can't exactly refuse this mission after asking for one with such passion, now can I?

I crossed my arms, feeling like my mouth had once more gotten me into it. "I'll take it..." I responded, hearing the distinct sound of a defeated ego. My own. "So, what's the mission?" I ask my teammate.

Ino shrugged and responded, "I was about to hear the details when you came in here, idiot."

We exchanged another heated glare, and are brought back into reality by the Godaime clearing her throat. "The mission is a simple escort from Konoha to the Land of Rice. The trip should only take a day or so, depending on the client's walking speed."

I have a bad track record with escorts. "The client isn't being hunted by A-class missingnin or is actually a princess in disguise, right?" It sounds ridiculous when you hear it, but I've been through this same situation plenty of times before to know the possibility is actually pretty high.

"Maybe," she responded, giving me a strange look. Like the type of look a hunter gives the prey when it's cornered. "If you're scared this mission might be tough, you don't have to take it."

"What?!" She baited me, and I fell for it so easily it's almost laughable. "Naruto Uzumaki ain't scared of nothing! Come on, Ino," I said, grabbing her arm by the wrist and dragging her toward the door. "Let's go! We have us a client to escort!"

Ino yanked her hand away from me, and I look back at her wondering what her problem is. "Naruto." I looked at Granny-Tsunade, who is the one that just said my name. "Do you even know the identity of the client?" She asked me, tapping a file on her desk.

I laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of my head. "Oops."

"Idiot," Ino muttered loudly as she grabbed the file that contaieds the mission debriefing. I blushed slightly as the blonde scanned through the pages quickly and commited everything of importance to memory. "Okay, let's go."

The platinum blonde grabbed my arm and this time she's the one who dragged the other person out of the office. I didn't bother freeing my arm from her grip, too lost in the smell in the air as I trailed Ino. "Lilacs?" I asked without thinking.

Ino paused, letting me go and smelling her own hair. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was arranging flowers before sunrise in my family's shop when I was called into the Hokage's office." I didn't understand why she apologized. Her hair smelled nice. Really nice.

We walked silently together, Ino leading us toward the south gate. When we got there, the loud blonde walked up to a woman I didn't know and said, "Miss Tokima. I'm Ino Yamanaka and this is Naruto Uzumaki. We're here to escort you."

"Thank you, dear. Please, call me Kasumi."

I looked at the client closely, scrutinizing everything about her. First, I lookd at her physical appearance. Brown hair, tied tightly into a bun. A sort of reddish dress with long sleeves and a hem that almost reaches the floor. A sweet, charismatic look on her face.

I also noticed Kasumi Tokima was pretty cute. Too cute. The chances that she's actually a princess in disguise shot up by a full forty percent.

Ino caught me staring at the client a little too intensely, so she discreetly elbowed me in the gut. The brown haired woman didn't notice any of this... As far as I could tell.

"Should we get going now, or is there something you need?" Ino asked.

"No, I'm fine. Let's go." The two females get going, and I followed them so I wouldn't be left behind.

We traveled in silence; Ino leading the front, Miss Tokima in the middle between us, and me in the back. Part of me felt uncomfortable with the silence and wanted to start talking to fill the nothingness in the air, while another part of me was busy with that same scent from before.

Lilacs.

The breeze gently caressed my skin as it ruffled slightly my hair. I'm downwind from Ino, and it looked as though I was going to receive the leftover scent of flowers from bright blonde hair for a good portion of the trip. Maybe being stuck on a mission with her wasn't so bad.

We walked for what seemed to me like minutes, but was actually several hours. "Let's rest for a moment," stated Ino, stopping her gait. Kasumi slumped down to the floor, tired. I looked up at the sky in shock, wondering how long I'd been in a trance.

The sun appeared to be high in the sky, which meant it was about noon or so. Now that I'm no longer locked in a fantasy world, I can feel the burning sensation in my legs. I sat down on the floor, close to Miss Tokima in case enemy ninja appear out of nowhere to attack her.

"Tired, dear?" The client asked me, giggling slightly.

Blushing, I stood up and quickly said, "Of course not! I was just checking to see how tired you were!" She giggled again, as did Ino. I laughed sheepishly, feeling embarrassed. "I'm gonna go check the surroundings," I quickly said, heading off to do just that.

I left the two girls alone so they could braid each other's hairs or have a pillow-fight in their underwear or do whatever it is girls do when they're alone.

... I stopped on the branch of a tree close by to the path the three of us had taken to reach the Land of Rice. "I've been hanging out with the perverted hermit too long..." I shook my head to clear it of any lewd images concerning my fellow Ninja and the woman we escorted.

I finished securing the perimeter fairly quickly. There was no one around. No traps. No hidden passages. Nothing.

Returning to our temporary campsite, I saw Ino and Kasumi giggling among themselves. "What's up?" I asked, walking right up to them.

"Oh... Nothing..." Ino replied, giggling even louder than before. I might not know much about girls, but I know that 'nothing' actually means they were talking about me. I frown, feeling like the butt of a joke.

"Did you find anything?" Asked Kasumi, looking at me quizzically. I shook my head no, and she sighed. I immediately became suspicious of our client. Why was she so relieved I didn't find anything? Was there someone after her?

My suspicions would have to wait for later as Ino said, "Okay. Let's get going then." We took the same formation as before. First Ino, then Kasumi, then me. This time, the wind stopped blowing, so I was not entranced by the smell of Ino's hair.

Though I did enjoy the scenery a lot.

I did not look at Ino's butt! Get your mind out of the gutter, pervert! I just looked at the tree covered path... That's all!

I watched closely the way Kasumi Tokima walked. I was still very suspicious of her. I analyzed the way she moved, trying to ascertain whether she had the gait of royalty or not. That was a complete waste of time, since I didn't know how royalty was supposed to walk.

The way she walked was pretty similar to Ino's way of walking, so maybe she wasn't a princess after all...

Their hips swayed back and forth, like a pendulum. Do they do it on purpose, or do women just move like that naturally? I quickly turned my gaze upward, blushing furiously. Good thing I had stopped myself from leering at the two females with me.

If they had caught me staring at their butts... Ouch. It hurt just to imagine it.

I caught a sliver of movement up ahead, in a tree. I'm pretty sure Ino saw it as well. Discreetly, I replaced myself with a shadow clone, hiding underground. When whoever it was made an appearance, my clone would take the first hit. When the clone disappeared, I would pop up from below ground and deliver the final blow.

I smiled internally, feeling proud of myself as I dug through the soft soil. Good thing the ground in this area isn't rocky. I couldn't do this otherwise.

A quick blur leaped out of the tree branches and my clone quickly moved into position. I waited for my clone to dissipate, so I could make my triumphant appearance. It didn't disappear. I waited one minute, then two. Still, nothing.

I popped my head out of the ground and asked, "What is going on up here?"

Ino, Kasumi, and my clone were huddled together closely, looking at a little squirrel on the ground. They were all cooing at the furry little animal. Oh come on! The girls I can understand, but my clone? He's supposed to act like me, and I'd never fawn over a squirrel, no matter how cute and furry it is.

With a silent command, I made my clone disappear and fully emerged from my little hole in the ground. "Have fun, Naruto?" Ino asked me, laughing heartily. Sure, it seemed funny because it was just a squirrel, but what if it had been an enemy?

The girls all laughed as the squirrel ran back into the woods. I quickly got going, wanting to hide the blush on my face. Now that I was up front, I was not distracted by the smell of flowers or the sway of hips. I concentrated on the task at hand.

The entire trip to the Land of Rice had been boring. No ninja attacked. No bandits tried to stupidly rob us. Not even a dangerous animal appeared! This wasn't a D-ranked mission. This was an E or F ranked mission.

We got to the entrance of the Land of Rice and said goodbye to Miss Tokima as our job was already done. No, this was a Z-ranked mission. Going to the Academy back in Konoha was way more dangerous than this.

Ino and me got back on the track back home. The sun hadn't even started to set yet, though I doubted we'd get back to Konoha before nightfall. "Man... That was so boring..." I complained, kicking a stone in my path.

"I know what you mean," responded Ino. I stopped and looked at her weird. Had she just agreed with me? "Don't give me that look!" She snapped. "I like a little excitement just as much as the next girl!"

"Okay, okay... No need to bite my head off..." We continued on, not saying anything to each other. Every once in a while, I sneaked a glance Ino's way. I must admit, the platinum blonde is pretty darn cute...

Not as cute as Sakura-chan, but still pretty cute...

Ino caught me staring and asked, "What do you think you're looking at?" My whole face went red and I stuttered apologies as she glared at me. "Pervert..." She ran ahead, and I smartly decided to trail behind. "You better not be staring at my butt!"

Is there a color redder than red? Because, if there is, my face was that color right now. I ran up and passed Ino. Now that I was the one on the lead, I could not look at Ino and be accused of being a pervert. ... Why was I disappointed?

"We should make camp," I commented as the sun started to set. Ino agreed with me. I dropped the backpack I had with me, and set up the tent. Did I mention I had a backpack with me? Well, even if I didn't mention it, I did.

I also didn't mention that we stopped to eat along the way, since it wasn't important.

Right now, it wasn't about eating. It was about sleeping. We each had our own sleeping bag. We laid the bags down on opposite sides of the tent. "You better not try anything funny, Naruto!" She warned me.

"Like I'd want to," I responded with a derisive snort. We exchanged glares for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. You know, I'd be attracted to Ino a lot if her personality wasn't so... Annoying. Plus, Sakura-chan is hotter.

Some people say I have rose-tinted glasses. I say some people have bad tastes.

We settled in to go to sleep. I drifted off into slumber fairly quickly. Being hyperactive all day long can make a guy tired. I slumbered silently, not snoring at all. I didn't snore, and anyone who said otherwise was a liar liar pants on fire.

I had a dream, staring a certain pink haired girl. Dreams like this were frequent. We weren't doing anything that could be considered perverted. We just... talked... happily. That might seem dorky or whatever, but it's true.

Someone shook my shoulder and said my name. I ignored whoever it was, concentrating on the dream I was in. Again, someone tried to wake me up. Scowling, I opened my eyes and looked at the inopportune person.

Looking through rose-tinted glasses, I saw Sakura-chan above me. "Turn around," she commanded for some weird reason. I sat up and kissed her quickly, then turned around as told.

I licked my lips, tasting a weird flavor in them. "What is that taste?" I asked, on the verge of going back to sleep.

"My lipstick. It's peach flavored."

I smiled and said, "I think I like peaches." I quickly fell back asleep, quickly forgetting what had happened. Though I would never forget that sweet, tangy flavor. That taste would stay with me for a long, long time. The taste of peaches.

-End-

Author's Notes: Not as long as I usually like to make short stories (only seven pages), but I believe that's a good place to end it.

I had a lot of trouble with the tense of the actions. First-person narrative lends itself well to present-tense, but I prefer doing things in the past-tense. Well, I hope I didn't jump around too much. Also, I hope you guys enjoy this story as much as you enjoyed "A Night Together".


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